Count On Me
by WritingisFUN123
Summary: Ponyboy learns how much he can depend on his family and friends in the form of a songfic. The song is Count on Me by Bruno Mars.


First day of six grade, oh boy. Pony nervously walked the halls clutching books to his chest. Kids were everywhere, bumping into each other, bumping into Ponyboy, it was madness. "Hey, Ponyboy!" someone called out. Pony glanced over his shoulder to see his older brother, Sodapop. The eighth grader ran beside the sixth grader and threw and arm over his shoulder. "Don't run ahead! It's a jungle in here." he joked. Pony faked a chuckle and looked at the kids running around. Pony never felt so small.

_If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea,  
I'll sail the world to find you.  
If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see,  
I'll be the light, to guide you._

Soda went to his eight grade classes and broke away from Ponyboy as he pushed into Science class. Mr. Winslow came in screaming: "Settle down, everyone! Settle down! Let me do attendance." he said, getting out a clipboard. He ran off some names until he got to Ponyboy. "Ponyboy Curtis?"

"Here." Pony said quietly.

A tall blonde turned around snickering. "You're name is Ponyboy?" he asked. Ponyboy nodded. "That's a stupid name." he said chuckling along with his apparent posse. Ponyboy sunk. "Named after a horse, and looks just like one!" he said causing the others to erupt in laughter. Ponyboy looked down at the wood pattern on his desk.

_Find out what we're made of,  
When we are called to help our friends in need._

Ponyboy sat with the gang but mostly talked to Johnny. "Johnny?" he begun.

"Yeah?" he said eating half of Ponyboy's peanut butter sandwich.

"Don't tell anyone..." Pony said beginning to lower his register. "but how do you deal with a bully?"

"Is it a Soc?" Johnny asked. Ponyboy barely knew the term but it wasn't used nicely or politely in the Curtis, Cade, Randle, Matthews, or Winston household.

"I think so." he stated.

"Okay, well I would tell you to fight but we're in Soc territory so not a good idea. Have they beat you up?" Johnny asked concerned. Ponyboy didn't want to answer because based on what was happening to Johnny at home.

"No just names," he whispered. "Hurtful names." he sighed. Although Pony had seen plenty of Socs he had never been confronted by a true bully, he didn't know what the heck to do!

"Yeah, I know how it feels. They sticks and stones will break bones but names will never hurt, they lied. Names do hurt, sometimes worse then getting beat up. I know what you should do. Use that big brain of yours to stay something back. Make 'em shut up." he said grinning with pride.

"Okay," Ponyboy said taking it in. "I think I will. Thanks Johnnycakes."

_You can count on me,  
like one, two, three.  
I'll be there.  
And I know when I need it,  
I can count on you,  
like four, three, two.  
You'll be there.  
Cause that's what friends  
are supposed to do. Oh yeah.  
_

Ponyboy flopped down on the bed, ready for a night's rest. He scooted to the side of the bed where he slept, awaiting a good night from his family. "G'Night Pony." Darry called.

"Sweet dreams, sweetie." his mother said peeking through the door.

"Good night, son." his father declared peeking through the door.

"Hey, Ponyboy!" Soda said sitting on Pony's bedside. "How was your first day of middle school?"

"Alright..." Pony sighed looking at the ground.

"Whats the matter?" Soda asked.

Pony snapped back into reality. "Nothing! Good night, Soda!" he said trying to dismiss his older brother. Pony got up to push Soda out of the door. Soda playfully shoved Pony back on the bed.

"Seriously. What's wrong?" he pressed.

"Nightmare..." Pony lied. Soda cocked an eyebrow.

_If your tossing and  
your turning and  
you just can't fall asleep  
I'll sing a song  
beside you._

"Oh really? I'll sleep with you tonight." he said.

"No! It wasn't that bad." he defended.

"Nope. if you have a nightmare, maybe I'll help you." Soda fought back. Pony realized the determination in Soda's eyes. He grunted an okay and they slept in the same bed. As the night went on and the silence continued, Soda decided to say something.

_And if you ever forget  
how much you really mean to me  
Everyday I will remind you._

"Listen, Pony. If your still awake, I know you're lying. I want to know what's going on. I promise I'll help you. That's all I want right now, to help you. Ya hear?" he declared. Pony lightly snored and shook a little. Soda sighed. Unbeknownst to him Pony heard every word, and he was willing to take him up on his offer.

_You can count on me,  
like one, two, three.  
I'll be there.  
And I know when I need it.  
I can count on you,  
like four three two you'll be there.  
Cause that's what friends  
are supposed to do. Oh yeah._

"Hey," a familiar voice said threateningly turning Ponyboy around to face him. It was the tall blonde. "I hear that you're Sodapop Curtis' brother." he said.

"Yeah, so?" Ponyboy said backing up. They were in the hallway before class, in front of the lockers.

"Well, Sodapop Curtis is a greaser," he began approaching him. "and greasers are no good. And relatives of greasers are no better." he said punching his left hand with his right.

"Are you challenging me?" he asked backing up.

"Ya think?" he said sarcastically.

"Well that's no fair." Pony said.

"Why?"

"Well because I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but you're obviously unarmed." Pony spat slyly.

"And you are no good greaser white trash. You are a waste of time. An ugly greaser who will die alone." the blonde said. The names weren't so bad, but it was the punch to the nose that hurt the worst. Pony stumbled backward and suddenly came to a halt. Everyone in the hall turned to look. They looked excited they wouldn't break up a fight. Someone bumped into Pony's shoulder and pushed to the front of him. He put his fist across the blonde's face making him twist to the side in pain.

They were quickly in a brawl. The tall blonde and Sodapop.

_You'll always have my shoulder  
when you cry._

In the aftermath of the fight which Soda clearly won, he was pushed to the principal's office by a stern teacher. Soda was being yelled at and threatened by the principal, while Soda's nose bleed and a bruise began to form. Suddenly the door swung open and a short figure was there screaming: "Principal Johnson, it wasn't Soda's fault!" Ponyboy revealed himself. "I provoked the fight! I called the kid stupid and Soda helped me!

Pony sat down in the chair next to Soda. They both received a detention, but for the rest of the principal's lecture, Soda stared at Ponyboy in awe.

_I'll never let go,  
never say goodbye._

Ponyboy and Soda slept in the same bed that night, fascinated with each other.

"Thanks, for helping me, Soda." Ponyboy said quietly in the moonlight of their bedroom.

"No problem Ponyboy, I just wanted to let you know that I'm here when you need me." Soda declared behind Pony with an arm over him.

"Good to know." Pony said with a grin.

"Thanks for stepping in in the principal's office." Soda said happily.

"No problem. You can count on me too, Sodapop." Ponyboy said. Soda smiled and planted a kiss on Ponyboy's head in his hair.

_You know you can count on me  
__like one, two, three.  
__I'll be there.  
And I know when I need it  
I can count on you  
lie four, three, two.  
You'll be there.  
And you'll be there._

"Goodnight, Ponyboy." Sodapop said.

"Goodnight, Sodapop." Ponyboy said back.

_Cause that's what friends  
are supposed to do. Oh yeah._

"I love you." Ponyboy said.

"I love you, too." Sodapop said.

_I can count on you, cause I can count on you._


End file.
